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Great news about your appointment & the placement, Hopeful. Really pleased for you 
Good thing I did get that appointment, too! The ward manager (not the nice nurse I met) on placement rang uni saying they were 'concerned' - obviously, on paper things look very different than when you see a person.
It's not like I don't know my own limitations - I am not a little 18-year-old-fresh-out-of-school-student. Grrr.
I have a hair dresser appointment on Saturday - do you think I should already ask her about 'cancer-cuts'? I am fully anticipating that my hair will fall out in about six to eight weeks (there is a 'cold cap' that has a 50/50 chance of working to keep hair, but it means cooling your scalp to -6 and I really don't fancy that. Also it takes half a day when you use it).
Perhaps you could ask if you feel you want to on the day? How far ahead do you need to book?
Am over the moon for you Hopeful that it hasn't spread. Sorry that your mum has said no again. Good luck for Tuesday. xx
Hi Hopeful
The one tip about hair is that the shorter it is, the less troublesome when it falls out. But you might as well have a nice cut in the meantime! and you are saying 6-8 weeks (by which time you would almost be ready for another cut) Perhaps you could wait till the falling out starts then seize control and cut/shave the rest off? Have you thought about whether you want a wig or will wear headscarves etc? My friend found that "buffs" were excellent and some women just go au naturel.
So, it sounds like it was good to have grasped the nettle and got the appointment. I guess the ward manager person may wonder how chemo will affect you (difficult to predict, as everyone is different) Good luck for Tuesday then they will see that you are being positive in person!
Buffs, interesting!
My placement is only four weeks, Louise, that's why I want it done before chemo even starts.
Went to see the head of year today and she was very supportive again - the student support tutor has disappeared, we couldn't find him, but she said she'd sort things out if he wouldn't. Yay. :-)
More good news, Hopeful - very pleased for you
Now that you've said your placement is only four weeks, I have a totally new perspective on why you've been as 'up & at 'em' as you have!
The next placement will be trickier. It's 12 weeks (called extended). I'll have to work together with uni to find something that will be really low infection risk because I'll be on chemo then. AND I'll have to see if I'll be able to work at all. Fingers crossed!
To change the subject slightly: I have never ever eaten as much as in the last couple of weeks! I don't normally care much for food, but this operation has made me soooo hungry! I shall be fat and round soon!
Yes, hope you can find an extended placement to suit.
It was your subject to change I think its a good thing that you have a healthy appetite at present (speaking as a confirmed foodie). Anything in particular you're enjoying, or just food in general?!
Just food Mary. Whatever and lots of it.
I saw occupational health today and guess what: I am cleared to start placement tomorrow!!!!! Yippeieeh!!!!!
Was talking to the doctor about future placement and he said it's tricky, community is my best bet. Now I don't mind doing community, but I did that in the last placement, so I don't know whether I'd get that again. He was a bit anti-ward, but I have very little ward experience... But we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.
That is great news Hopeful - I haven't caught up on your thread but hope you are well and you made me laugh with your post about food!
Hi hopeful! I am thrilled to hear that you are able to start your placement tomorrow - that will keep you busy!
What sort of food are you enjoying at the moment?
I hope you had a good day yesterday Hopeful. Enjoy the placement.
Hey Hopeful.
How's the placement going? Has being busy with it increased your appetite further still?! 
Hi all,
Plaecement is going fine (the nurse wasn't very happy when I arrived on the Wednesday, but by the end of the day she was ok!).
At the moment I am feeling soooo healthy. It's making me seriously think why I have to now go and make myself really ill with stupid chemo and rads and and and. :-(
Still haven't had my oncology appointment anyway, so probably there's no rush.... xx
Good to hear that the placement is going well and you are feeling good!
I know very little about cancer and all that it entails, but I hear your frustrations. How long were you told you would have to wait for the oncology appointment?
I'm so glad you're enjoying the placement.
I'm glad you're feeling well, and wish I knew what to say about the chemo...
Hi Hopeful that's great news about the placement, hooray!
I didn't realise you don't have a date through for the oncologist. I hear what you are saying about the chemo...I just think you need to give yourself the best chance of it not coming back.
I know about the reasons for the chemo, it's just sad.... all these just in case things.... Sigh. I promis I won't be stupid (might say no to Herceptin though - the side effects are basically that you poison your heart and the risk is not that much reduced. Still thinking about it).
Anna, I was told the appointment for the oncologist would come through in 'a couple of weeks or so'. At least I know who my oncologist is and her secretary/reception person is a friend of mine, so she'll help. Just she's on holiday at the moment.
Not having this appointment yet means that I get to go to pick up my daughter from my mum's and as I am feeling so fantastic I don't mind...
So, today the secretary of the oncologist rang me (she's a friend from church) and said one of the others had had a cancellation, did I want to come in at one for that. I said yes. Now I'm scared. :-( Not like me.
Having a really bad day and need to pick myself up!
Hello Hopeful, have replied to you on the other thread....and I suggest you take either a voice recorder or pad and pen to the appointment....and GOOD LUCK, I will be thinking of you
Loads of hugs Hopeful. I'll be thinking of you. xx
Took a friend as always. Feeling much better. :-)
Seems like chemo will be the worst of it. Got leaflets, but will check on them later. Oncologist is really really nice. So if all is ok, I'll start on 3 September.
Hi Hopeful
Glad the Oncologist is nice. So glad your friend was with you.
Loads of hugs...
Glad the oncologist is nice, helps a lot. The leaflets they have given you, they will cover all sorts of things that you may not even have to deal with so take the list of side effects with a pinch of salt, everyone is different and the thing is the first chemo will show you the things that happen to you (tends to be the same pattern each time) so ask for extra help with any particular effects you experience.
Hehe, we were working out what date to start chemo and I said well I can do Mondays or Tuesday or Wednesday afternoon. Otherwise it will clash with lectures. (She said they'd try, but could't promise, bless!)
I have spoken to some people who had the same chemo (FEC) and this particular one doesn't seem too bad (some feel very sick, but there's stuff I can take for that, and everyone looses their hair. When she said about the hair loss, the breast care nurse jumped in and said I was ahead of my game as I'd already cut it by three quarters!)
Not worried anymore. It looks like I shall be having one of everything, even Herceptin - she was quite reassuring about that; the heart damage I was so worried about, if it even occurs, is reversable.
Hopefully starting chemo on 3rd September!
Hope that they will be able to give you an appointment that suits
Same here Hopeful. Thinking of you. x
Well done Hopeful, it sounds as though you are back in your stride!
How are the children coping? I have just read your other post and seen that No3 son is being his usual self! Do you think this is affecting them? Are you keeping discussions open?
I really don't know, Anna. No3 son I think sees that I am ok so far but he doesn't like the thought of my hair falling out. I was cutting his hair yesterday and said to him that he could use the clippers on me when this started and he said he couldn't do that. But at least he's ok to talk about stuff.
No2 son doesn't say much about anything anyway, but if I start a conversation he's normally ok. My daughter is chatty so I think she's ok, too (she doesn't like the hair issue either - I tease her by saying I'll wear a clowns wig or have something drawn on my head - she really doesn't like that!)
No1 son keeps coming up with alternative stuff. He's brought some algae tablets that apparently boost your immune system. Bless him. All in all I think they're ok and they know they can ask anything anytime.
Hi Hopeful, I think it's great that they're able to talk about things with you. No 1 son sounds lovely, and so caring. What will you be drawing on your head then?
Aww Hopeful, it sounds as though they are handling it very well and that is down to you and how you are dealing with it.
Good for you and Good for them!
xxx
Biiig sigh. Just as I was beginning to get my faith in the system a little bit...
Came home to two appointment letters - containing three appointments.
Officially starting chemo on 3rd September now, this is fine.
ECHO on 31 August to check my heart is doing what it's supposed to, fine, too.
But how many times have I told everyone I am going away on the 17th August for a week (getting my daughter back from my mum's)????? And when do they want me to come for a 'pre treatment chat' - which, btw, I find a very patronising term to put in an official letter.
Never mind, I shall wander over there in my break on Monday and put them right. Just another thing to remember....
(sorry for being moany. am tired after my long day today....)
AAAAGH, well the good news is that they will be pretty flexible with your "chat" as it will be with one of the chemo nurses, very annoying though that they can't just LISTEN. I know what you mean about the term being patronising, think it is designed to feel less scary for those who are not in the medical world, whereas I know you like to call a spade a spade (same as me!)
Hope you are Ok this morning
Went to change that appointment in my break today. Good thing that I did - I discovered that I can only have the first lot of chemo on a Monday (which is what I requested because I have no lectures then) and they put the next two provisionally on a Wednesday morning. I got quite upset (the poor woman who books those appointments! It's not her fault!) and said if it had to be a Wednesday could it be afternoons because of lectures. The lady promised she'd try to change it - it means ringing other patients and asking if someone is willing to swap, so fingers crossed.
I know I am being ambitious, but IF I feel well enough to work through chemo, I don't want to be stumped by something like this. I need it as a motivation to get me through....
Hopefully someone will be able to swap. Hope she gets back to you very soon.
Yes, if you want to be able to work through chemo then as long as you feel well enough then why not.
My friend did reduced hours at work, that is probably not an option for you though? And certainly working at home isn't (although studying at home could be done)
Hope someone will swap
Fingers crossed that you get the afternoon appointment Hopeful
Attending lectures isn't a 37.5 hour week. The lecture's I'd be missing would be 3 - 4 hours each of maybe 12 hours in a week, the rest is self-directed study. :-)
So keep crossing everything!
Everything is still crossed Hopeful
Having the very patronisingly entitled 'pre chemo chat' today. Have friend coming to make sure I won't loose my temper. Good thing with the mood I'm in.
I shall tell her (?) that I want a pic line or a portacath - can't be doing with veins being destroyed everytime I go for this.
Having ECHO on Friday and am meeting 'my' nice nurse after.
On Monday the chemo starts. Still not looking forward to it...
Hi hopeful, I am glad that you are taking a friend with you.
Unfortunately I have no experience of cancer treatment, however I know that Louise has a good friend who has been through all of this and no doubt tomorrow she will have some words of wisdom for you.
Thinking of you.
The nurse was very nice and listened and wasn't one bit patronising. She organised for me to have a portacath put in in three weeks. :-)
So all is good on the big C front.
Good, I am glad they listened to you
My friend's "top tip" was that as chemo affects everyone differently, write down how you feel for the first ten days or so and this is likely to be the pattern you will follow for each cycle, and then you can work with it and predict how you are likely to feel. Many people feel Ok for the first two/three days then things get harder for a few days (on your particular chemo) and the list of symptoms they have given you is very general so it really is just a case of rolling with it the first time.
I'm glad the nurse listened.
I'll be thinking of you.
Very interesting: I had an ECHO today (ultrasound of the heart) - you could see all the chambers and the valves moving and see how breathing works on the aortic arch and the difference between the oxygenated and deoxygenated blood.
After that I met with the lovely breast care nurse (I am trying to tell her not to retire in March because she is so fantastic) and had a new boob (a silicon one instead of the foamy thing I've been using).
She said she'd pop in on Monday when I have the first lot of treatment. :-)
Excellent. I have just left you a message on the other (teen) thread to send you very best wishes.
You're so good at being persistant Hopeful, and I'm thrilled you've got the appointment for Tuesday.